US green-lights massive project set to transform the aviation industry — here's what you need to know
In February, the Trump administration surprised many by finalizing a sustainable fuel deal initially put into place by the Biden administration, expanding green fuel production in the U.S., Reuters reported.
The loan, disbursed by the Loan Programs Office under the Inflation Reduction Act, would allow manufacturer Calumet to expand a sustainable aviation fuel refinery in Montana. Currently, the facility produces 140 million gallons per year of biofuels; the expansion would more than double production to 315 million gallons and generate 500 jobs.
Biofuels have been in development for decades but have recently come to the fore as an alternative to dirty fossil fuels used in the aviation industry. Biofuels are made from plant and animal material, which is often waste from food production, and making and using these fuels generates less heat-trapping air pollution than collecting and using the same amount of fossil fuels.
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Unlike making aircraft electric — which requires extensive modifications to the equipment — biofuel can be used in the same engines as traditional fuel. That makes it an easy change to make immediately.
That's good news for the planet because excess heat-trapping gases from air pollution are overheating the Earth.
That causes damage to the environment and crops and leads to dangerous natural disasters. Much of that air pollution comes from the aviation industry — 2.5% of global heat-trapping gas emissions in 2023, per the International Energy Agency. Reducing that pollution is one of the necessary steps in getting the world's temperature in check.
While this is good news, this isn't the last word on the subject. An energy department spokesperson told Reuters that the department "is continuing to conduct a department-wide review of all funding, including grants and loans, to ensure all activities are consistent with the law and in accordance with President Trump's executive orders and priorities."
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